To test whether traffic light labels and an increased range of healthy beverages, individually and in combination, can increase healthy beverage choices from vending machines.

Two studies (n 558, 420) tested whether the provision of traffic light labels (green, amber and red) and an increased range of healthy beverages (from 20 % to 50 % green options), individually and in combination, could increase healthy beverage choices from a digital vending machine display. The studies used a between-subjects experimental design, and a hypothetical beverage choice, a limitation when considering real-world applicability.

Both studies utilised an online Qualtrics survey that featured a digital vending machine display.

Both studies (n 558, 420) consisted of university students from Flinders University and individuals from a survey recruitment service.

Featuring traffic lights did not significantly influence beverage choices (P = 0·074), while increasing the healthy range (P = 0·003, OR = 3·27), and the combination of both, did significantly increase healthier beverage choices (P < 0·001, OR = 4·83).

The results suggest that the traffic light system and increased healthy range are not maximally effective when used on their own, and benefit greatly when combined, to increase healthy beverage choices. It was suggested that the provision of traffic light labels supplied the necessary nutritional information, and the increased healthy range offered greater opportunity to act in accordance with that information. In so doing, the present findings offer a promising pathway for reducing unhealthy beverage consumption.

To investigate the association between a lifestyle score and all-cause mortality in the Chilean population.

Prospective study.

The score was based on seven modifiable behaviours: salt intake, fruit and vegetable intake, alcohol consumption, sleep duration, smoking, physical activity and sedentary behaviours. 1-point was assigned for each healthy recommendation. Points were summed to create an unweighted score from 0 (less healthy) to 7 (healthiest). According to their score, participants were then classified into: less healthy (0–2 points), moderately healthy (3–4 points) and the healthiest (5–7 points). Associations between the categories of lifestyle score and all-cause mortality were investigated using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for confounders. Nonlinear associations were also investigated.

2706 participants from the Chilean National Health Survey 2009–2010.

After a median follow-up of 10·9 years, 286 (10·6 %) participants died. In the maximally adjusted model, and compared with the healthiest participants, those less healthy had 2·55 (95 % CI 1·75, 3·71) times higher mortality risk due to any cause. Similar trends were identified for the moderately healthy group. Moreover, there was a significant trend towards increasing the mortality risk when increasing unhealthy behaviours (hazard ratio model 3: 1·61 (95 % CI 1·34, 1·94)). There was no evidence of nonlinearity between the lifestyle score and all-cause mortality.

Individuals in the less healthy lifestyle category had higher mortality risk than the healthiest group. Therefore, public health strategies should be implemented to promote adherence to a healthy lifestyle across the Chilean population.

In 2015, the Victorian Salt Reduction Partnership launched a 4-year multifaceted salt reduction intervention designed to reduce salt intake by 1 g/d in children and adults living in Victoria, Australia. Child-relevant intervention strategies included a consumer awareness campaign targeting parents and food industry engagement seeking to reduce salt levels in processed foods. This study aimed to assess trends in salt intake, dietary sources of salt and discretionary salt use in primary schoolchildren pre- and post-delivery of the intervention.

Repeated cross-sectional surveys were completed at baseline (2010–2013) and follow-up (2018–2019). Salt intake was measured via 24-h urinary Na excretion, discretionary salt use behaviours by self-report and sources of salt by 24-h dietary recall. Data were analysed with multivariable-adjusted regression models.

Victoria, Australia.

Children aged 4–12 years

Complete 24-h urine samples were collected from 666 children at baseline and 161 at follow-up. Mean salt intake remained unchanged from baseline (6·0; se 0·1 g/d) to follow-up (6·1; 0·4 g/d) (P = 0·36), and there were no clear differences in the food sources of salt and at both time points approximately 70 % of children exceeded Na intake recommendations. At follow-up, 14 % more parents (P = 0·001) reported adding salt during cooking, but child use of table salt and inclusion of a saltshaker on the table remained unchanged.

These findings show no beneficial effect of the Victorian Salt Reduction Partnership intervention on children’s salt intake. More intensive, sustained and coordinated efforts between state and federal stakeholders are required.

Low birth weight is associated with increased lifelong morbidity. Kerala has a renowned, low-cost, maternal–child health system in which is couched universal access to the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), central to which is community-based maternal–infant nutritional supplementation. We assessed whether children in this environment showed enhanced birth weight and postnatal growth and whether the evolution of early markers of CVD was attenuated in comparison to contemporaries from other states.

A part retrospective, part prospective cohort study in which children (n 286) born in 1998–2000 in Calicut were identified from Anganwadi records. They were traced at 6 years and underwent full anthropometry and blood pressure measurements at 6 and 8 years.

Mean birth weight (2·86 (sd 0·40) kg) was greater than in Indian contemporaries but consistently <−1sd below the National Center for Health Statistics reference median throughout childhood. Birth weight significantly predicted body mass (BMI) at 8 years. Lower birth weight was strongly predictive of a higher waist:hip ratio (WHR) indicative of adverse central (coelomic) fat distribution (P < 0·01). Faster weight gain in infancy was weakly predictive of a lower WHR (P = 0·59), but faster late childhood growth at 6–8 years was non-significantly predictive of adverse WHR.

At 8 years of age, children in Calicut participating in the ICDS have greater birth weight and relative attenuation of the evolution of early CVD markers compared with children in apparently comparable states. The relative contributions of the ICDS and other factors inherent to Kerala cannot be inferred from the present study.

The current study aimed to assess the relationship between protein intake and bone parameters among dynapenic-obese older adults.

The current study is a secondary analysis with an a posteriori and exploratory design.

Subjects were recruited from the community via social communication (flyers and meetings in community centres) in the Great Montreal area.

Twenty-six subjects were divided a posteriori into two groups according to their usual protein intake: PROT−: < 1 g/kg per d (n 13; women: 53·8 %; 66·5 (sd 3·3) years) and PROT+: > 1·2 g/kg per d (n 13; women: 61·5 %; 67·2 (sd 2·7) years).

Both groups were comparable for age (PROT−: 66·5 (sd 3·3) v. PROT+: 67·2 (sd 2·7) years, P = 0·61) and gender (women: PROT−: n 7; 53·8 % v. PROT+: n 8; 61·5 %, P = 0·69). The PROT− group had a higher marrow area (P = 0·049), a greater bone compressive strength (P = 0·048) and a larger total bone area (P = 0·045) than the PROT+ group. However, no significant difference between the two groups was observed regarding body composition (fat and lean masses) or muscle composition.

A lower protein intake seems to be associated with bone sizes, which influence bone strength, but do not influence bone density among dynapenic-obese older people.

Adolescents are high consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), which contribute to overweight and obesity – a significant public health issue. Evidence suggests that replacing SSB with water and school-based interventions can reduce consumption. This study examines the acceptability of a previously trialled intervention (Thirsty? Choose Water!) in regional and remote secondary schools.

An open-label randomised controlled trial using a two-by-two factorial design tested the outcomes of a behavioural and/or environmental intervention on SSB and water consumption.

Regional and remote secondary schools (public, catholic and independent) within the boundaries of two regional Local Health Districts within New South Wales.

Twenty-four schools participated in the study. The target group was year 7 students (n 1640) – 72 % of eligible students completed baseline data. The study followed students into year 8 (n 1188) – 52 % of eligible students completed post-intervention data. Forty teachers undertook training to deliver the intervention.

Interventions showed high levels of acceptability. Students demonstrated changes in knowledge, attitudes and consumption behaviours. Multivariable ordinal logression analysis demonstrated that all interventions increased the odds of students increasing their water consumption (though not statistically significant). Conversely, the combined (OR: 0·75; 95 % CI: 0·59, 0·97) or environmental intervention (OR: 0·68; 95 % CI: 0·51, 0·90) had greater odds of reducing SSB consumption and was statistically significant.

This study builds on recent Australian evidence regarding the impact of school-based interventions on water and SSB consumption. In this study, despite a minor intervention change, and the impacts of fires, floods and COVID-19 on study implementation, the interventions were highly regarded by the school communities with positive outcomes.

To assess the outcome of severe wasting in infants below 6 months of age.

A prospective observational study conducted between January 2017 and October 2018.

A medical college-affiliated hospital in Eastern Delhi, catering mainly to the urban poor population.

All children with severe wasting (weight-for-length Z-score (WLZ) < −3 sd) between 1 and 6 months of age, requiring hospitalisation.

Out of fifty children enrolled, during hospitalisation, forty-two (84 %) recovered (WLZ > −3 sd) and discharged; the median (interquartile range (IQR)) duration of stay was 9·5 (6·5, 13·0) d. After 100 d of enrolment, sustained cure (WLZ > −2 SD) could be achieved in only fifteen (30 %) infants, while another fourteen (28 %) recovered from severe wasting, but remained in moderately wasted state (WLZ between −2 and −3 sd). Overall, there were three (6 %) deaths (all during first week of hospitalisation); three (6 %) relapses and fifteen (30 %) defaulters (5, 5, 2, 1 and 2 defaulted during hospitalisation at day 15, day 60, day 75 and day 90, respectively).

The overall recovery rate from severe wasting in infants below 6 months of age was below the acceptable levels. In order to achieve better long-term outcome, community linkage services after discharge from hospital are required for supervised feeding, close monitoring and supportive care.

This study aimed to evaluate the association between vegetable intake and major depressive disorder (MDD) through cross-sectional analysis and bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomisation (MR).

Cross-sectional analysis was conducted on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2005 to 2018 and the corresponding Food Patterns Equivalents Database (FPED). Genome-wide association study (GWAS) data were obtained from UK Biobank and Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) dataset. Logistic regression analysis was performed after calculating the weights of the samples. Inverse variance weighted, MR-Egger and weighted median methods were used to evaluate the causal effects.

A Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score ≥ 10 was considered to indicate MDD. Low vegetable intake was defined as < 2 cups of vegetables per day.

30 861 U.S. adults from NHANES. The GWAS data sample size related to vegetable intake were comprised 448 651 and 435 435 cases respectively, while the GWAS data sample size associated with MDD encompassed 500 199 cases.

There were 23 249 (75·33 %) participants with low vegetable intake. The relationship between vegetable intake and MDD was nonlinear. In the multivariate model adjusted for sex, age, education, marital status, poverty income ratio, ethnicity and BMI, participants with low vegetable intake were associated with an increased risk of MDD (OR = 1·53, 95 % CI (1·32, 1·77), P < 0·001). Bidirectional MR showed no causal effects between vegetable intake and MDD.

Cross-sectional analysis identified a significant relationship between vegetable intake and MDD, whereas the results from bidirectional two-sample MR did not support a causal role.

The current study was conducted to assess the nutritional status and associated risk factors among foreign students residing at King Saud University for different periods and to explore its correlations.

A cross-sectional study was conducted during the spring semester of 2018. A total of 400 male students aged 18–35 years had participated in the current study after signing a written consent form according to Helsinki Declaration.

A structural questionnaire was used to collect data on daily food intake and habits and socio-economic characteristics. Nutrients of food intake were assessed using the Esha programme and compared with that of dietary requirement intake (DRI). A body composition analyser was used to measure body fat (BF), visceral fat (VF) and BMI. Spearman correlation coefficients and simple regression analysis were performed to determine associations between variables.

Foreign students residing for different periods (<6 months: 200 students and >6 months: 200 students) were used as subjects.

The students who stayed <6 months consumed lower level of some nutrients than that of the DRI compared with those stayed >6 months. Overweight and obesity were more common among students who stayed >6 months with high values of BF and VF. Several risk factors were positively or negatively correlated with the students’ nutrition proxies.

Most of the students who stayed >6 months are suffered from overweight. Some independent variables were found to be significantly correlated with the students’ nutrition proxies either positively or negatively.